Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 975: Cave Dwelling

The storm belt was filled with chaotic spiritual qi. Qin Sang urged his true essence to shield Yuan Zhu’s split soul from the storm’s impact. The two flew one after another, dashing through furious winds and towering waves. Along the way, they saw nothing but the endless storm.

Without a guide, anyone lost here would quickly be swallowed by despair. Yuan Zhu pointed the way. Qin Sang asked him many questions about the Demonic Sea and the demon race.

Yuan Zhu answered some without reservation, but when it touched upon the race’s true secrets, he grew cautious. After all, it was only those demon kings who had betrayed their kind.

Even so, what Qin Sang learned from Yuan Zhu gave him a deeper understanding of the demon race.

"Found it!" Yuan Zhu suddenly let out a low cry, joy flashing in his eyes. He had sensed the location of his true body.

Qin Sang immediately adjusted his evasion light and flew toward the direction Yuan Zhu indicated. After a swift rush, they finally saw faint white light flickering within the storm ahead, standing out in the dark waves.

It was Yuan Zhu’s true body. The white glow flickered as if on the verge of going out, drifting helplessly with the waves.

Yuan Zhu’s true body was extremely weak, on the brink of collapse. His aura was nearly imperceptible, and he did not even have the strength to resist the waves. Only when a gray hurricane swept by did he muster everything to dodge, avoiding death by a hair.

Without rescue, Yuan Zhu was certain to perish. The split soul lunged toward the body, and Qin Sang quickly followed with his sword.

Drawing close, Qin Sang saw an ice coffin. Yuan Zhu lay within, eyes tightly shut, sealed inside.

His condition was dreadful. His flesh was torn, skin cracked open with raw flesh exposed, even the bone of his arm visible.

The blood flame still burned. The fire originated from within, burning outward, searing through his blood and essence, his marrow, ravaging his organs before bursting outside.

It was unclear whether Yuan Zhu had used some secret technique or whether the ice coffin itself was suppressing it. The blood flame still spread across his body, but the flames had weakened countless times compared to the beginning, now only a thin layer.

Yet the blood flame was still like a thorn in the side, impossible to eradicate. Though gravely weak, Yuan Zhu still clung to a breath of life. The split soul merged back into the true body.

Yuan Zhu slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Qin Sang, he tried to smile, but failed. With difficulty, he rasped, "I must have made Daoist Ming Yue laugh."

Qin Sang infused his true essence to shield Yuan Zhu’s body from the storm and replied, "Daoist Yuan, I swore with your split soul. I would save you, and you would lead me out of the storm belt. How are you now? How can I help you?"

"Still alive. I won’t die. As for our oath, I am already aware..."

Yuan Zhu fell silent for a moment, his eyes shifting as he scanned the surroundings. A trace of sorrow crossed his face as he murmured, "You being unharmed does not surprise me. But Gu Heng and the others... I'm afraid their chances are slim."

Qin Sang nodded. "You made such extensive preparations, yet only bought yourself a small chance of survival. Unless Gu Heng and Fairy Caiyi possess some rare treasure capable of suppressing this evil fire, their survival is near impossible."

Yuan Zhu sighed faintly. "Enough. Daoist Ming Yue, I have a way to expel the blood flame and restore my cultivation, but I must avoid the storm’s disturbance and find a place to meditate in peace. I must trouble you to escort me back to my cave dwelling."

Qin Sang was surprised. "Daoist, are you not afraid your cave dwelling’s location will be exposed?"

"The ancient barrier protecting my cave dwelling is extremely special. It took me great effort to seize even partial control. Without my personal guidance, even if you knew its location, you would never find its true entrance. Once you see it, you will understand..." Yuan Zhu’s expression remained calm as he spoke indifferently.

"In that case, I am also curious to see what a cave dwelling inside the storm belt looks like." Qin Sang’s eyes gleamed, and he smiled faintly.

He wrapped the ice coffin in true essence and steered his sword toward the direction Yuan Zhu indicated. Along the way, the jade talisman remained unresponsive. Qin Sang wondered if he was still too far from Seven-Kill Hall, or if the hall had already closed.

After flying some distance, Yuan Zhu suddenly spoke, telling him to stop. Qin Sang had expected the cave dwelling to be built upon a small island, but the sea around them was empty. The waters stretched barren and vast, without a trace of a dwelling.

Secretly, he awakened the Sky-Eyed Butterfly. Yet even with its Sky Eyes ability, he detected no anomaly. No wonder Yuan Zhu had been so confident.

Qin Sang’s gaze shifted to the ice coffin. Yuan Zhu’s lips moved slightly, silently forming an incantation. The next moment, Qin Sang felt a sudden change. He looked down sharply.

The sea was never calm, with towering waves that seemed able to crush everything. Now, a strange fluctuation pulsed from the depths. Moments later, a milky-white pillar of light burst upward with a thunderous roar, transforming into a curtain of light beneath their feet.

Beneath the curtain appeared what seemed to be part of a mountain peak. The mountain was utterly barren, devoid of grass or trees, strewn only with jagged rocks. The ancient barrier formed a curtain of light encasing it, preserving the peak fragment to this day.

The light curtain quivered, parting to reveal a narrow opening. Qin Sang used the Sky Eyes ability to confirm there was no ambush within, hesitated briefly, then followed Yuan Zhu through.

The opening sealed behind them with a flash, sinking back into the sea and disappearing within the raging waves. Inside, the deafening storm vanished instantly.

"The spiritual qi here is thin..." Qin Sang probed briefly and noted inwardly.

He examined the surroundings. The area was not small. Ahead lay a mountain cave, clearly the cave dwelling. Above it, heavy black clouds churned. They were manifestations of the ancient barrier. The barrier blocked all chaos outside, making this place feel like a purified land.

Yuan Zhu hurried back into his cave dwelling and told Qin Sang, "I must go into seclusion for a time to recover. Other than this dwelling, there are no other secrets here. Daoist, please feel free."

With that, Yuan Zhu opened the cave’s barrier and entered. Qin Sang nodded. Seeing him seal the barrier behind, he casually chose a spot, carved out a temporary cave dwelling with his sword, and laid down several protective arrays and barriers to use as a meditation site while waiting for Yuan Zhu to emerge. Afterward, he walked around. As Yuan Zhu had said, the place was barren.

"At last, I’m out." Returning to his temporary dwelling, Qin Sang sat cross-legged, letting out a sigh of relief.

Looking back on his journey in Seven-Kill Hall, though his harvest had been great, he had encountered three Spiritual Infant experts in succession, with danger always at his heels. He still felt some lingering fear, but in the end, he had survived.

"I managed to cling to life until now. Who would have thought, after escaping the devilish barrier, I nearly perished several times more." Bai emerged from the Corpse Puppet Pouch, casting Qin Sang a sidelong glance full of disdain.

Qin Sang flatly refused to admit it had anything to do with him. He drew out a jade slip, recording everything he had learned about Canglang Sea and various treasures, and handed it to Bai. "For now, we can only stay here. Daoist, restore your cultivation first. Look through these, perhaps they will trigger some memories."

Bai accepted begrudgingly and stepped into another dwelling. The space fell into silence once more.